The Count of Ticrest Moon
by Phantom Shin
Summary: When Luke turns to the Dark Side, Han gets abducted and sent to the prison of Sannginivut. Will Han be able to realize his full potential, get revenge on those who betrayed him, and bring balance to the Force?
1. The Last Hope

Disclaimer: All characters and situations from _Star Wars_ are properties of Lucasfilm, Ltd. and 20th Century Fox. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Well, folks, this is my first foray into the world of fanfiction. Please be gentle. This is basically a re-make of Alexander Dumas's _The Count of Monte Cristo_ in the Star Wars universe. Hence the title. This story follows ESB, up until Luke's duel with Vader. Things branch off from there. Well, enjoy...

* * *

Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi watched Luke gear the X-wing's engines and begin to move away for take-off. 

"Told you, I did," Yoda said sorrowfully, as the sleek fighter craft began to lift into the misty heavens. "Reckless is he. Now things are going to worse."

"That boy is our last hope," Obi-Wan said, his voice heavy with emotion.

"No," Kenobi's former teacher corrected with a knowing gleam in his large eyes, "there is another."

"But Master," Obi-Wan wondered, "you surely can't mean the girl. We've both sensed no Force potential in her."

"Our last hope, Leia is not," Yoda agreed, nodding. "But another presence, in the force I have sensed. Sensed it, you have too."

Obi-Wan shook his head mournfully. "If that really is our last hope, then you were right. Things are worse"

"So sure are you," Yoda challenged, "search your feelings."

"Well then," Obi-Wan smirked slightly, "I have a _bad_ feeling about this."

* * *

Deep below the Cloud City of Bespin, Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker continued their duel furiously. They had entered the reactor shaft, Darth Vader stalking confidently towards the young man. 

Luke moved agilely across the gantry and took refuge beneath a huge instrument panel to evade his pursuing foe. But Vader was there in an instant, his lightsaber thrashing down like a pulsating guillotine blade, cutting the instrument complex loose. The complex began to fall, but was abruptly caught by the wind and blown upward.

An instant of distraction was all Vader needed. As the instrument panel floated away, Luke involuntarily glanced at it. At that second, the Dark Lord's laser blade came slashing down across the hilt of Luke's lightsaber, cutting it, and sending the top half flying.

Luke gasped, more out of shock than anything else. He glanced at the useless bottom of his lightsaber's hilt. No, not his lightsaber, his father's. Luke suddenly felt a sharp pang of loss, as the only artifact he had of his father had now been taken away.

"There is no escape," Vader's voice brought Luke back into the moment. "Don't make me destroy you. You are strong with the Force. Now you must learn to use the dark side. Join me and together we will be more powerful than the Emperor. Come, I will complete your training and we will rule the galaxy together."

Luke refused to give into Vader's taunts. "I will never join you!"

Vader paused. Luke would obviously not be forced into choosing the dark side. Vader thought, and tried to remember back to when he was someone else, and what made him decide which path to follow. "If you only knew the power of the dark side. It can give you what nothing else can."

"I don't want anything from you!" Luke shouted. He tried to scurry back, away from the threatening gleam of Vader's red, pulsating blade.

"I can give you the truth," Vader paused, and watched Luke's reaction. He noticed Luke look up for a fraction of a second, then resume his struggle to back away from the Dark Lord. "Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father, did he?"

Mention of his father aroused Luke's anger. "He told me enough!" he yelled. "He told me you killed him."

"No," Vader replied calmly. "I am your father."

Stunned, Luke stared with disbelief at Vader, and then pulled away at this revelation. The two men stared at each other, father and son.

"No, no! That's not true. That's impossible!" Luke cried, refusing to believe what he had just heard.

"Search your feelings," Vader said, suddenly reminding Luke startlingly of Yoda, "you know it to be true."

Then Vader swithced off his lightsaber and extended a steady and inviting hand.

Bewildered and horror-stricken at Vader's words, Luke shouted, "No! No!"

Vader continued persuasively. "Luke, you can destroy the Emperor. He has foreseen this. It is your destiny. Join me and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son." When Luke did nothing, Vader continued, "In an instant I have given you more than the Jedi ever have. I have given you the truth about your father. Your dear Obi-Wan was lying to you to try and manipulate you to follow him. Which one of us is truly evil?"

Luke's head was spinning. Everything Obi-Wan had told him had been a lie. He suddenly felt sick. Luke looked around desperately for somewhere to run. Somewhere calm, where he could rest, think, and try to tame the terrible dragon of anguish and distrust he felt roaring in his chest.

Vader could sense Luke's resolve weakening. He continued confidently, "Obi-Wan was not the only friend that has lied to you."

Luke felt the dragon grow. He had just discovered that everything he believed in had been a lie. He didn't know if he could take the next revelation, but he realized he had to know the truth. "Who?" was all he could get out.

Vader ignored Luke's question. "I sense strong emotions in you, _son_," Vader said, emphasizing the last word. "I sense anger, towards your former Master. But I also sense protection, and even love."

Luke looked away, ashamed. He didn't know why, of all things, he was embarrassed about his feelings for Leia at this moment, but he was.

"Ah yes, the princess," Vader said knowingly. "I too was once in love with a royal woman. It seems that we are more alike than you would like to believe."

"What did you do to Leia?" Luke screamed, his protectiveness of the princess outweighing his desire to know what Vader was talking about.

"Come with me, and I will help you attain the princess. Your Jedi friends would tell you to ignore your love, but I know better. I can let you be happy, and give you the one thing that has been denied from you your whole life. A family," Vader offered.

Luke was suddenly tempted. The dragon in his chest seemed to shrink a bit at this opportunity. Still, he would not be turned easily. "But I'm not like you…or the Emperor. I'm not _evil_."

"Have I been evil, Luke?" Vader wondered. "I have been trying to restore peace to the galaxy as best I can. If I could have, I would have destroyed the Emperor long ago. But thanks to Obi-Wan, I am confined to this suit. The Emperor encased me in this prison, which has greatly decreased my abilities. If you join me, we can overthrow the Emperor and bring peace to the galaxy."

Vader's words were beginning to make sense to Luke. Vader was suffering as well, doomed to serving the Empire for the rest of eternity. Luke's head started to spin again, but something Yoda had told him rang back in his ears. "You're a Sith Lord! You think only inwards, about yourself!"

"Do I, Luke?" Vader asked. "The Jedi have lied to you, and tried to trick you, to use you as a means to their own end. I am offering you want you want. I have told you the truth, and I am willing to help you," Vader reached out his hand again.

"Can we really destroy the Emperor?" Luke wondered. He was shocked when he realized he had said the words aloud.

"You and I can work together. We will bring peace to the galaxy," Vader promised. "And when the war is over, the princess will have time for other things. Other people."

Luke was about to accept Vader's hand. Everything made sense now. Vader had been tricked by Obi-Wan, just like Luke had. It was the only reason that could explain why Luke was willing to listen to Vader. Suddenly, a part of their earlier conversation returned to Luke. "Who was the other friend that was lying to me?"

Vader breathed slowly several times before answering. "Your feelings for the princess are quite clear, Luke. I believe your friends know of them," Luke merely stared at Vader. The Dark Lord took that lack of response as conformation and continued, "It seems that, on their way here, your friend, Captain Solo, chose to disregard your feelings for the princess. They have been…romantic, with each other."

Once again, Luke was completely stunned. The dragon roared. "But Leia and Han hate each other. They always fight. They couldn't have…"

Vader nodded. "The story of their union is unclear. It is possible that Solo took advantage of the princess. She may have deemed herself responsible, and subconsciously developed feelings for him to absolve herself of the guilt."

The dragon in Luke's chest unleashed a fire of pure hatred. Luke didn't know how many betrayals he could face in one day. He didn't want to believe Vader, and didn't think he was being told the truth. But after everything he had just heard, he realized that he could no longer trust his feelings. They had always been wrong before. And now that he thought about it, Han always hade been aggressive towards Leia, all the while knowing how Luke felt about her. Who's to say that, after a few weeks stuck together, Han wouldn't have taken advantage of the situation, of Leia? The dragon in Luke's chest agreed with a hearty roar. "How could he do that?" was the only thing Luke could say.

Vader nodded. "The acts of your friends have been most disturbing. Come with me, and I'm sure, together, we can find a solution to all your problems."

Numbly, Luke stood up, using Vader's hand for support. He was unsure as to whether or not he was doing the right thing. But when he felt the dragon in his chest curl away, he knew that he had chosen the right path.

* * *

Back in the swamps of Dagobah, Jedi Master and Force Ghost both felt a terrible disturbance in the Force. Yoda put his hand on his chest, and slowly sank onto a log. 

"Unfortunate this is," Yoda muttered. "Told you, I did. Trained him, we should have not."

"The choice had been placed in front of Luke," Obi-Wan reasoned. "It was up to him which path to take."

"Too much like his father, he is. Complicated, things now are," Yoda said, thinking about his future course of action.

"What can we do now?" Obi-Wan asked desperately.

"Do, we will, what needs to be done," Yoda answered.

The two Jedi Masters then retreated further within the massive swamps of Dagobah. They would need to meditate to figure out how they could bring balance to the Force.


	2. The Gathering Darkness

Disclaimer: All characters and situations from _Star Wars_ are properties of Lucasfilm, Ltd. and 20th Century Fox. No copyright infringement intended. 

A/N: Here's chapter two of my little tale. I don't think I mentioned this in the previous chapter, but Luke's whole "chest-dragon" thing is ripped from the Revenge of the Sith novelization by Matt Stover. The novelization of Ep. 3 is the best of all of them, and if you haven't read it yet, go do so. It's haunting. Anyway, onwards (and upwards, as they say)…

* * *

After what felt like an eternity of nothingness, Han Solo suddenly felt pain. Excruciating, agonizing pain, crippling him, stabbing every part of his body. He was freezing, and burning at the same time. He couldn't hear, and he couldn't see, so the pain was amplified. His body gave out, and he collapsed. If his mind had been able to focus on anything other than the intense pain he was feeling, Han would have wondered why he was able to move, after an endless time of paralysis.

Han was suddenly shocked out of his fit, when the pain abruptly ceased. Cold water splashed on his face, and some more of his senses woke up. He heard the sound of metal on concrete, and assumed the bucket containing the water had been placed on the ground. When Han was about to ask where he was, he was suddenly slapped in the face.

"Snap out of it, Solo," a familiar voice ordered. Han strained to overcome his disorientation and place it.

When he came up with nothing, he decided to ask for more information. "What happened?"

"You were frozen in carbonite. You are suffering hibernation sickness," the voice informed him.

Han was finally able to focus completely on the voice. He recognized it, although it was deeper, more mature than he remembered. "Luke, kid? Is that you?" Han ventured hopefully.

"Yes," Luke answered monotonously. "It seems that the freezing process has not harmed you too much. You will make a full recovery." For some reason, Luke sounded almost disappointed at that news.

Han ignored Luke's tone, too overcome at the joy of being released from his carbon-prison and being reunited with his friend. "Buddy, I can't see," Han said, instead.

"It's only temporary blindness, you will recover soon," Luke's voice was slightly distracted, as if he was thinking about something else.

"How long was I out?" Han wondered. He started to think about Leia, and Chewie, and if they were alright. As soon as he was able to, Han would be heading back to Cloud City to rescue them.

Luke answered, although he now sounded as if he was far away from Han. "Only a few days. I was able to intercept Boba Fett before he reached Tatooine. He charged a hefty sum for you, but I believe it will be worth it."

"I hope so," Han muttered. He was becoming more aware of Luke's hostile tone, and began to wonder what where exactly he was. But his next concern was the object of his affections. "How's Leia?" Han asked.

Suddenly, Han was thrown against a wall. He didn't know what had happened, and hadn't felt anything touch him, until he had made impact with the wall. The stone wall knocked the wind out of Han, and he struggled to breathe as he slid to the floor.

"Do NOT mention her name!" Luke yelled furiously. He was breathing hard, seething with anger.

"What?" Han asked weakly. He was overcome with fear and confusion. What had he done wrong?

"I know what you did to her!" Luke shouted. Han was thrown against the wall again.

Han fought to catch his breath. He was bewildered. "I didn't do anything to Leia!" Han shouted. "I would never do anything to hurt her."

Han suddenly felt a sharp impact against his jaw. Luke had hit him. Han's head was thrown back, and he stumbled. He tried to run away from the assault, but his body was still weak from the carbonite. He was also blind, which hindered his escape attempt, as he couldn't actually see where he was going.

"Don't lie to me, Solo!" Luke was livid. "I may not have been there, but I know what you did. You took advantage of her, and you tricked her. There is no other way to explain why she might think she loves you!"

Han turned towards the sound of Luke's voice, and was greeted by a boot to the face. He fell onto his back, and struggled to speak. "I didn't…" he gasped. "I love her…I didn't tell her…I love her…" he was breathing in short gasps.

Luke screamed, and Han was thrown against the wall again. "Stop talking! I don't want to hear it! I know the truth, and you won't convince me otherwise!"

Han didn't even try to respond. He was in too much pain, and he knew whatever he said would merely get him thrown against the wall again. He focused all his energy on breathing, a task that sent sharp, stabbing pains through his chest.

Luke continued with his rant. "She may not have said what you did, but I know! All the evil of the universe has embodied itself in you, Han. And now I will make you pay for it."

Han was suddenly flipped over, his stomach slamming against the cold floor. His body was held down, and although Han couldn't feel anything touching him, he was unable to move. Han suddenly heard the crack of a lightsaber igniting, and would have flinched if he could have. He didn't know what had gotten into Luke, and Han was completely petrified. "Why?" he asked desperately.

"Han," Luke answered with a mock air of pleasantness. "It's complicated. When you learn as much about the universe as I have, you will realize that some things are not so easily explained. I don't know why the Jedi lied to me. I don't know why you disregarded my feelings and attempted to steal Leia. And you will never completely know why this is happening to you." Luke's voice was moving closer to Han.

"You're gonna kill me?" Han asked.

"Oh, no," Luke laughed. The sound was disturbing and maniacal, and it made Han sick. "I won't let it be that easy. You are an evil one Han Solo, and you will be marked as such."

Han felt his shirt being pulled up, revealing his back. He heard the characteristic hum of a lightsaber grow louder, as it moved closer to him. Han tried to move away, to escape whatever torture was awaiting him, but he couldn't.

A sizzling sound soon filled the room, as Luke brushed the tip of his lightsaber on Han's bare back. He was careful to only graze the skin, as to not accidentally kill Han. As he continued to burn the flesh on Han's back, he heard Han suddenly scream. The pain had become too much. Han started twitching, while still within Luke's Force-hold.

Luke shook his head. "You'll need to stop that incessant twitching. You wouldn't want me to make a spelling error, would you?"

When Luke was done, he moved away from Han, and removed his Force-hold. Though Han could, he did not move. He remained motionless on the floor, in shock from the pain, both emotional and physical.

Luke stared admiringly at his handiwork. EVIL stared back at him, still glowing from the heat of the lightsaber. "Well, that turned out nicely, didn't it?" He paused, then chuckled slightly. "Although I doubt you'll ever see it. Even when your sight does return, I doubt that there'll be mirrors where you're going."

When Han again didn't attempt to move, or to reply, Luke continued without prompt, twirling his lightsaber in his hand. "You see, Solo. I need you out of the way. You know a little too much about me, and what may or may not have happened on the road to, and on Bespin. I will be able to erase Threepio's mind, so he won't be telling any stories. Chewbacca poses a bit of a larger problem, but I suppose no one of consequence will be able to understand a Wookie, anyways. And dear Leia has been through so much that she's surely not in her right mind."

At this comment, Han attempted to move. When he was unable to get up, he settled for yelling at Luke. "You bastard!" he hollered. "You're no better than Vader!"

"Not yet," Luke agreed, "but I will be." When Han merely swore in response, Luke continued. "Anyways, Solo, I need you out of the way, but killing you would be too easy. Too merciful. You'll be sent to a prison on the primitive Outer Rim planet of Sannginivut. It should keep you out of my way quite nicely, don't you think?"

Han was completely dumbfounded. He had no clue what he had done to deserve this punishment. All he knew was that one of his closest friends, someone whose life he had saved on numerous occasions, was now torturing and imprisoning him. He was suddenly filled with a deep hatred for the boy he had formerly called Luke. "You'll pay for this, Skywalker!" Han vowed from the floor.

"I doubt it," Luke said smugly. "After about a day on Sannginivut, you'll be too busy begging for death to make me _pay for it_."

"Never say die," Han yelled. He decided that for now, the only power he had was choosing not to give in.

"Your blind courage, however misplaced, is admirable," Luke said, continuing to twirl his lightsaber threateningly. "You could have been a strong ally, if I had not had other plans for you."

Before Han could reply, Luke snapped off his lightsaber, removing the red glare from the room, and walked through the door. Two Stormtroopers entered after Luke had left. Although Han couldn't see them, he could hear their characteristic armor scraping against itself as they marched into the room. Han grimaced, preparing himself for what was to come.

* * *

Luke walked quickly through the door of Han's cell, past the Stormtroopers, and to the Star Destroyer that was waiting for him. Pleased with himself, Luke smiled slightly. With Han Solo out of the picture, Leia would be free to fall for him. Leia would make Luke at peace, and when Luke was at peace, the galaxy would be at peace. The dragon in Luke's chest sighed meekly, as if it was asleep.

As Luke boarded the Star Destroyer, he was quickly greeted by his father. "It went well, I presume?"

"Quite well, actually," Luke replied, with a smile. "Now that Solo is out of my way, Leia will soon be mine."

Vader nodded, proud of his son, "The Emperor contacted me while you were out. He wishes to meet with you as soon as you arrive on Coruscant."

"Then things are unfolding just as we have planned. But you must agree, I have to meet with the Rebels first, as to not arouse suspicion. I have been gone too long already," Luke decided. He needed to maintain the trust of the Rebels to ensure the success of the rest of his plan.

"Agreed. I will contact the Rebels after you have returned to them. I will tell them that Boba Fett's ship crashed, and that he and Solo are dead, then the transmission will abruptly end," Vader recited, having planned this out during Luke's absence. "From there, you should be able to convince the Rebels that you wish to find the remains, to give Solo a proper funeral."

"But I will go to Coruscant," Luke understood, and completed his father's sentence. "There, I will meet with the Emperor, and overthrow him. From then on, you and I will be able to restore peace to the galaxy."

"You have learned well, my son," Vader patted Luke's shoulder, in what could almost be considered a warm gesture. The gloved hand, however, felt cold on Luke's shoulder. The dragon seemed to wake, as if preparing to strike. "You have chosen wisely. Soon this conflict will be over, and millions of lives will have been saved thanks to your actions."

The words of reassurance were enough to tame the dragon. Luke nodded, and left for his X-Wing, ready to meet the Rebels at the rendezvous point.

* * *

Han Solo, flanked by two Stormtroopers, was dragged in front of the warden of Sannginivut. He had been blindfolded for the journey, so it wasn't until just then, when they took it off, that Han realized he could see again. The light of the office, however dim, assaulted his sensitive eyes. Han winced, despite himself, and turned towards the warden.

"Admiral…Dorleac," Han began, reading the name off of the warden's desk. "I know you must hear this from every guy, but I'm innocent."

Admiral Dorleac nodded, although he did not seem to be paying attention. He was entering something onto a data-pad.

Not to be deterred, Han continued, "I haven't done anything wrong! The guy who sent me here isn't even an Imperial! He's a rebel! If you let me go, I can lead you to him. We can do a change-over. That way, one guy is free, one guy's in here, and everybody's happy right?" Han begged, desperately. When he again got no response, and Dorleac continued to work with his data-pad, Han got frustrated. "I'm innocent, do you hear me? INNOCENT!"

"Of course you're innocent," Dorleac said calmly. He still didn't look up from his data-pad, though.

Han wasn't sure how to respond. "You're mocking me?" he asked.

"You must be innocent, everyone in here is," Dorleac explained. "If you were guilty, there are plenty of prisons on any of the core systems that the Empire could have easily sent you to. No, the ones here are the ones that they're ashamed of, the ones they need to hide." Dorleac finally put down his data-pad, finished whatever he had been doing. "The Emperor has enough ill-will towards him already. He doesn't need a bunch of political prisoners causing him strife."

Han hung his head, and realized that Dorleac was right. If he were guilty, of any crime, he would have gone to trial. The Emperor could have then used him as a shining example of how he was cleaning up the scum of the universe. He looked back up at Dorleac.

Dorleac motioned for the Stormtroopers to follow him, and Han Solo was dragged behind. They entered a tall, narrow cell, and threw Han inside. Dorleac pushed a button, and a set of metal binders emerged from the wall. The Stormtroopers grabbed Han, and placed his hands in the binders. Han was facing the wall, his back exposed to Dorleac.

"Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's get down to business. When prisoners arrive on Sannginivut, they are treated to a nice welcome gift," Dorleac taunted, pulling a whip from his belt. "Although some may find this certain gift rather primitive, it is effective nonetheless." He cracked the whip, and Han flinched. "My point exactly."

Dorleac then noticed the wound on Han's back, "It seems, however, that you've already been marked."

Han knew that when Luke had burned him with his lightsaber that he had written something. Han, for some sick, perverse reason, desperately wanted to know what it said. "What's it say?" Han muttered.

"Oh, that will bother you won't it?" Dorleac asked, smiling to himself. "Forgive me for not telling you now. I'll save it as a conversation starter for next year."

"What?" Han had no clue what Dorleac meant by 'next year'.

"To help our prisoners keep track of time, we're kind enough to reenact their first day here, every year, on the anniversary of it," Dorleac said, almost happily. "Most are begging for death by the second year."

"Never say die," Han muttered without thinking. That statement had become his mantra, the only thing keeping him going since he first saw Vader on Bespin.

"I won't," Dorleac said, raising the whip above his head, "But you certainly will." Dorleac brought the whip down with a sickening crack. Han grunted, knowing that this was only the beginning.


	3. The Spinning Wheel

Disclaimer: All characters and situations from _Star Wars_ are properties of Lucasfilm, Ltd. and 20th Century Fox. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: The long-overdue chapter three. Thanks for the reviews, they are very much appreciated.

* * *

Luke was distracted as he guided his X-Wing into the belly of one the waning Rebel fleet's largest remaining ships

Luke was distracted as he guided his X-Wing into the belly of one the waning Rebel fleet's largest remaining ships. The few days he had spent with Vader had bestowed upon him a new sense of clarity. He knew more about the Force now the Yoda ever could have taught him. Luke did not have to follow the will of the Force, he could use the Force as a tool. Manipulate it to help him achieve his personal goals. Luke knew that if his plans for that night were to work, he would have to use this information.

As Luke disembarked from his fighter, he was quickly greeted by a frantic princess of the former Alderaan. Luke accepted her embrace eagerly, hugging her close to him. He smelled Leia's hair, and was assaulted by a beautiful scent. Luke inhaled deeply, as the dragon in his chest sighed contentedly. _Mine_, Luke thought.

"I was so worried," Leia sobbed, and pressed her face into Luke's shoulder. "First Han…and then when we heard you'd been captured…"

"It's okay," Luke comforted Leia, rubbing slow circles on her back, "_I'm_ here now."

After a while, Leia composed herself. Luke reluctantly let her pull back. "Are you alright? What did Vader do to you?" Leia asked fearfully.

Luke sighed, as if he was thinking about how to respond. "Honestly, Leia, they didn't do anything. They were actually civil…they said that they were saving me for the Emperor."

"Oh Luke, you must have been terrified," Leia breathed, then pulled Luke to her again. Luke did not make any attempt to pull away, and merely held Leia tighter.

Luke put a bashful smile onto his lips. "I was okay. I thought of you the whole time. You kept me strong," Luke whispered into Leia's ear.

Leia pulled away slightly, taken aback. She looked at Luke, and opened her mouth to respond, when General Rieekan's voice rang out through the overhead com-link.

"_Princess Organa and Commander Skywalker to the command centre immediately."_

Leia looked at Luke questionably and disengaged from him, although she kept a hold of his hand. She hurried towards the command centre, pulling Luke behind her.

Luke reveled in the feel of Leia's hand against his. He didn't bother paying attention to the Rebels who were greeting him, thankful for his safe return. All he could focus on were Leia's soft fingers intertwined with his, and how those fingers would feel on other parts of his body. The dragon in Luke's chest cooed, and Luke was pleased at how well everything was turning out for him.

All too soon they were in the command centre, and Leia let go of Luke's hand. Chewbacca was there, and Leia smiled at him briefly before turning towards General Rieekan. "What's going on?" she asked.

"We just received a message from the Imperials," Rieekan said. "I have no idea how they received the co-ordinates for our rendezvous point."

"Oh no!" Luke moaned, playing the part of clumsy farm-boy that he had been known for. "They must have tracked my X-Wing! It's the only way to explain how I escaped so easily." He hung his head in his hands. "How could I have been so stupid?"

Leia put a comforting arm around his shoulders. "It's alright, Luke. They would have found us eventually anyways. The important thing is that you're safe." Luke smiled from beneath his hands.

"Yes, Luke, don't worry," Rieekan agreed. "The reason why I've called you here is that the Imperials implicitly stated that they wanted you three," Rieekan gestured at Chewbacca, Leia and Luke, "to hear it."

"What does it say?" Leia asked desperately.

"We'll find out now," Rieekan said, playing the message on the holo-screen.

The dark, haunting mask of Darth Vader appeared. Leia moved slightly closer to Luke, who put a possessive arm around her waist. The sound of Vader's raspy breathing filled the command centre. Then he spoke.

"Congratulations, Skywalker, you have slipped through the Emperor's grasp once again. He will not be deterred, however. If you do not contact the Imperials sometime within the next standard week, you and the rest of your Rebel fleet will be destroyed." Vader paused, his mechanical breathing filling the command centre once again. Leia looked at Luke fearfully. Before she could say anything, however, the Dark Lord resumed speaking.

"My message contains some other news, however. It seems that Boba Fett was not as skillful of pilot as he was bounty hunter. He crashed his ship on Tatooine. He did not survive, nor did his cargo. I am telling you this, Rebels -" The holo abruptly ended, and the screen was blank.

The command centre was silent, until Chewie howled mournfully. The sound seemed to wake Leia from a trance, and she let out a harsh, loud sob. Luke pulled her to him, and she cried into his shoulder.

Luke, however, remained silent. He was focusing, using all of his recently obtained training to try and uncover Leia's emotions. He sensed sadness, which, as much as Luke did not like it, was to be expected. But Luke also sensed something else, a desperation. Luke knew that that feeling would allow him to fully execute his plan.

* * *

"Don't do this, Luke," Leia cried, for what must have been the fifth time that night.

Luke sighed, looking up from his work on his X-Wing. "I have to. If I don't find Han's remains, he'll never have a proper funeral. No matter what he did, he still deserves a respectful resting place."

Leia ignore Luke's obscure comment and continued her attempts to dissuade him. "Luke, what if the Imperials get you. They won't let you escape this time."

Luke stepped down from his fighter, and moved towards Leia. "Don't worry, if they get me again, which they won't, I have a plan."

"Just don't, Luke, please," Leia whispered, on the verge of tears. "Stay here. I couldn't take it if I lost you-"

Luke put a finger to her lips, stopping her before she could say the inevitable 'too'. He wanted Leia to forget about Han as soon as possible, and the more she talked about him, the more time that would take. "You won't lose me, Leia," he pledged, pulling Leia to him. "Let's get away from here, somewhere we can talk," he suggested.

Leia agreed and followed Luke. Surprisingly, he led her to her sleeping quarters. She looked at him.

Luke smiled softly, and answered her unasked question, "I just thought it would be quiet."

They sat on Leia's bed in silence for a while. Leia's head was hung low, and her shoulders were shaking slightly. When she finally looked at Luke, tears were running down her face. "I just feel so lost," she whispered, almost as if she was ashamed of it. "I feel so alone, now. Even more then after…" she broke off and sobbed, unable to finish her sentence.

Luke looked at Leia solemnly. Then he spoke, waving a hand in front of her face, "You're afraid and alone," Luke said lowly.

Leia nodded, "I am afraid and alone," she repeated.

If Leia had been less distressed at the moment, she would have noticed the small smile appear on Luke's lips. She did, however, notice his hand wave in front of her face again as he said, "You just want to feel loved."

The suggestion suddenly sounded very good to Leia. If she had been in a calmer state of mind, she would have realized that she'd only ever felt truly loved by Han. But here, with Han dead, and Luke's calm suggestion ringing in here ears, that thought never even occurred to her. "I do just want to feel loved," Leia whispered.

That was all Luke needed. He pulled Leia towards him, and kissed her. Leia didn't respond at first, but after several seconds Luke coaxed a reaction out of her. Luke then lowered her to the bed, and turned off the lights without even having to touch the switch.


	4. The Unexpected Visitor

Disclaimer: All characters and situations from _Star Wars_ are properties of Lucasfilm, Ltd. and 20th Century Fox. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, they really motivate me to right more. So, in response to most of them, I'll adress the whole incest thing. Yes, Luke and Leia are brother and sister, and yes, he did basically rape her in the last chapter, but don't blame me, oh readers, for this crime. Blame George Lucas (whom I'm very angry about regarding Indiana Jones, but that's another story). He was the one who had them kiss on multiple ocassions, and set up a love triangle involving them, and didn't reveal, until the LAST movie, that they were related. So, in the story, Luke and Leia obviously don't know they are being incestuous, but you guys do, and that helps me make you guys hate Luke more. Which is, for me, a good thing. It's all part of my masterplan, you see? The plan is quite diabolical. But really, the Luke/Leia thing had to happen for the rest of the story to work. Don't worry, it'll all work out in the end...OR WILL IT?

Wow. Did that sound too defensive?

Anywhooo...back to the story. It's fast-forward time.

* * *

Han shifted towards the slot in his door, holding out his hand just as the bowl of gruel was shoved into it

Han shifted towards the slot in his door, holding out his hand just as the bowl of gruel was shoved into it. Han didn't even have to look. After 10 years in Sannginivut he knew the routine so well that he could follow it if he suddenly became both deaf and blind.

The first year had been the worst. He had high hopes at the beginning, desperately pacing his cell, searching for a means of escape.

He soon discovered there was none. His cell was over 15 feet high, and about 7 feet wide, composed almost entirely of individual stones. The metal binders on the wall and the blast-proof door were the only indications that intelligent species had built the prison.

When Han realized his escape attempts here futile, he wouldn't allow himself to be discouraged. Using a small piece of rock he had managed to pry from the floor of his cell, he began to carve the words 'Never Say Die' into the wall. He carved them deeper every day, certain that soon he would be rescued. Chewbacca would search every corner of the galaxy for him, and would eventually be successful. And, Han often hoped, with Leia's help, he would be found even faster.

It wasn't until after Han's second beating, on his first anniversary at Sannginivut, that he began to lose hope. He knew that if Leia ever went missing, he would not rest until she was found. The fact that he hadn't been rescued yet meant that something must have happened to her. If Leia had been killed because of Han, then Han didn't want out of the prison.

Since then, Han had merely existed. He sat numbly in his cell, day after day. He ate when he was fed, shit when he had a bucket, and slept rarely. Han didn't see the point of sleep, when all it brought was nightmares of Luke's cold voice, and Leia's sad eyes.

From time to time, Han wondered about the rest of the galaxy. As much as he had denied it, he really did consider himself a Rebel, and hoped that they would eventually defeat the Empire. Considering Luke's behaviour when Han had last seen him, though, suggested that was not the case. If Luke had joined forces with Vader, than most of the Rebels strategies, personnel and intelligence agents would have been revealed to the Imperials. The Alliance would be destroyed before it even knew what hit it.

Today, however, Han was not thinking about the Galactic Civil War. He was busying his mind with counting the individual number of stones in his cell. The first time he counted them, during his second year in Sannginivut, he found 4,138. The next time, though, he got 4,142. He continued to get 4,142 from then on, but counted again every so often just to be sure. He was at number 2,358 when something, for the first time in 10 years, Han had not expected happened.

The floor was moving. Not the whole floor, but a part in the centre of the room, about 2 feet in diameter, was definitely shifting upwards. Han cowered to the far corner of his cell, wondering if this was a new punishment derived from the guards at Sannginivut, or if he had finally lost his mind.

The stones were eventually torn off the floor, and a dark shape emerged. It pulled itself upwards, and stood beside the hole it had created. The creature, which couldn't have been much higher than Han's knees, brushed dirt from its face, revealing pale, green skin, and turned to face Han.

"Hmm," it rasped. "Success. Expected it so soon, I had not."

Han remained where he was, crouched in his corner. He opened his mouth to say something, but found that he was unable to form any words.

"Stand up, will you not?" the creature asked.

Han finally forced his mouth to work. "Have you come to kill me?"

"So apathetic are you," the thing looked at the wall. " 'Never say die', hmmm?"

"Those words are faded," Han muttered.

"Hmm…" the creature grunted, and began shifting towards Han. "Come with me, you will."

"Finally," Han sighed.

"Hmm?" the creature asked.

Han grimaced. That sound was becoming increasingly grating. "I finally lost my mind."

"So sure, are you," the creature said.

Han stared at the little green thing, "There are 4,142 stones in these walls."

"Yes. But counted them yet, have you?" the creature asked. "Mad, you are not."

Han merely shook his head, and sank further into his corner.

The creature moved with swiftness that Han would have thought impossible for such a small creature, and began smacking him in the head.

Han raised his hands, cushioning his face from the surprisingly strong blows. "Stop it! What do you think you're doing?"

The creature didn't reply so, finally fed up, Han picked up the little thing, and threw it across the cell. Gracefully, the creature rolled into a summersault, then landed on his feet.

"Yes," the creature encouraged. "Some fight left in you, there is."

Han shook his head.

"Yoda, my name is. Follow me, you will."

With little other choice, Han followed the creature called Yoda into the small tunnel that the latter had created. It was an extremely tight fit, and, were it not for all the weight Han had lost over the years, he doubted that he would have made it through to the other side.

As Han emerged from the tunnel, he brushed some dirt from his body, and examined his surroundings. He appeared to be in another cell, though, one that was much larger than his.

"What'd you have to do to swing the luxury suite?" Han asked.

"Nothing," Yoda replied. "Came here willingly, I did."

"That proves it!" Han slapped his bony thigh. "I have gone nuts. No one would walk in here on their own free will."

"Not my will," Yoda agreed. "The will of the Force."

"That's it," Han said. "I'm going back." He began to lower himself back into the tunnel.

"Disappointing," Yoda sighed. "More faith in you, I had."

"Look," Han said, "no offence, but it was your hokey Force that put me in here in the first place. Sorry if I'm not too eager to follow its orders."

"Follow its orders, you will not, but allow it to steer your ship, you will?" Yoda asked.

Han pulled himself out of the hole. "Who allows who to steer what now?"

"The Force," Yoda explained. "Sense things before they happen, you do. Good reflexes, you have not. Only the aid of the Force."

"I'm not…" Han sputtered. "I don't…I'm not like Luke!"

"Not like Luke, yet," Yoda said. "But if stay in here you do, no better you will be."

"What do you want me to do?" Han asked. "Just waltz right outta here?"

"No. Dig."

"Dig?!" Han shouted. "But what about the Force? Don't you have some Jedi tricks for that?"

"Over 600 guards outside, there are. Helpful, the Force is, but magic, it is not."

"Well that's just perfect," Han muttered. "If we dig, how long is it gonna take?"

"Ten years it took me, to reach you from here," Yoda replied. "But since two of us there are, the outside, we should reach in only 5."

"5 years?!"

"Something better to do, have you?" Yoda asked. "Hmmm…? An appointment, you cannot miss?"

"What's the point?" Han asked, "What would I do if I got out?"

"When that time comes, a Jedi you will be," Yoda said. "By then, know what to do you will."

"I guess I already know what I want to do," Han said. "Find Skywalker, and tear him limb from limb!"

"No!" Yoda cried. "Revenge, violence. A Jedi craves not these things."

"I'm not a Jedi!" Han yelled. "And I don't want to be!"

"So selfish, are you, and so wrong," Yoda sighed. "A destiny, you have. Bring balance to the Force you will."

"Maybe the Force should be unbalanced! Maybe you're unbalanced!" Han shook his head. "I'm probably unbalanced. I'll come to in a bit, and this will have all been a weird hallucination."

Suddenly, Han was shoved against the cell wall. He wasn't thrown very hard, but it hurt nonetheless. He looked at Yoda accusingly.

"Hallucinating, are you?" Yoda shook his head. "No. A Jedi you will be, and save the galaxy you will."

"Why would I save the galaxy?" Han asked. "No one in it ever tried to save me."

"So wrong, you are," Yoda said. "Miss you, your friends do."

"The last encounter I had with a 'friend' put me in here," Han said. "First Lando, then Luke. I'm obviously not the best judge of character."

Yoda stared at Han. "Chewbacca," he rasped. "Leia."

Han sighed and looked away. Stupid Jedi mind reading thing. "Fine, I get it. But how do we do this? What do we do with the dirt?"

"Opens twice a day, the door slot does. In the morning, for the bucket, where put he dirt, we will. And in the evening, for the plate. In between, we work."

"Well," Han asked, "what do we do after?"

Yoda smiled. "We train."


	5. The Great Escape

Disclaimer: All characters and situations from _Star Wars_ are properties of Lucasfilm, Ltd. and 20th Century Fox. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Sorry for the epically long wait. Life decided to sneak up behind me and swallow me whole. Here's the long over-due update, though. Hopefully it'll tide you over for a while, because I'm going on a much needed vacation and won't be able to update for at least 2 weeks.

Thanks again for all the reviews. They really help me to get these updates up.

* * *

As time passed in Sannginivut, Han spent nearly all of his time with Yoda. They dug the escape tunnel between meal time and when they put out their toilet buckets, and trained the rest of the day. Han was a quick study in the ways of the Force. He always new that, when he was motivated, he could accomplish anything. Escape was a big motivation.

It took Han a while to get started, though. The first exercises Yoda did with him involved Han, blindfolded, holding a stick, while Yoda threw pebbles at him. Han couldn't focus at all, as he kept remembering the similar drill that Luke and the old man did on his ship all those years ago.

"Just STOP!" Han yelled, frustrated after bring hit in the head for the fifteenth time. "I can't do this. Why don't we just focus on digging?"

"Dig, hmmm?" Yoda asked, "And balance the Force with some dirt, you will?"

"I'll balance your face," Han muttered.

Yoda pretended not to have heard him. "Confused, I am. Terrible at this you are, yet skilled at using the Force already are you. Sense there is a reason, I do."

"You sense there's a reason?" Han asked, incredulous. "A blind dianoga could see there's a problem! Why do you always have to sense everything? You're always trying to make yourself seem so spectacular."

"The problem, what is it?" Yoda pressed.

"That kriffin' Skywalker is the problem!" Han yelled. "I don't wanna be standing here, playing the same little games that guy who sent me here did!"

"Too much anger in you, there is," Yoda sighed. "Train you well, I cannot."

"Well I guessed I won't be trained then," Han said. "Too much has happened for me not to be angry. I'll escape with you, but when we're out, the whole balancing the Force thing can be your problem."

"Too old, I am. Unable to defeat both Skywalkers, I will be," Yoda said.

"Both Skywalkers?" Han repeated. "What are you talking about? Luke's family was killed."

"Killed? No. Consumed by Darth Vader," Yoda said.

"Consumed…" Han thought for a second. "You mean, Darth Vader is…Luke's dad?"

"Yes," Yoda said, "Working together, they are now."

Han was stunned. Finally he managed, "The muja doesn't fall far from the bush."

"See now, do you?" Yoda asked. "Together, very powerful are they. To defeat them, young and strong, one would have to be."

"Two of them, eh?" Han asked. "Well, never let it be said that Han Solo backed away from a challenge."

"Good," Yoda smiled. "Now back to work we will go."

Yoda restarted the exercise, but this time he had Han imagine he was flying his ship. Whenever Han flew the _Millennium Falcon_, he would empty his mind, and just go with the flow.

"Flow?" Yoda seemed to appreciate that sentiment, "Yes. Feel the Force flowing through you."

With his mind empty, Han was able to sense the pebbles flying at him, and easily bat them away. He found it much less difficult than navigating an asteroid field.

From there they moved on to more difficult exercises. Han was soon able to use the Force for movement, and allow it to propel him through the air, while doing flips. He was also a natural at levitating objects, having no problem with moving things around Yoda's cell, or keeping them in the air for infinite periods of time. The one thing Han did have problems with, however, was lightsaber combat.

"I don't see the point of this," Han groaned after failing to execute another simple maneuver. "I'll just use a blaster. It's a lot faster, and easier."

"Remember the pebbles," Yoda reminded Han. "Able to deflect the bolts, Skywalker will be. Useless, a blaster will be."

"This is all such ancient stuff," Han said. "And it's all about control. We both know that's something I don't have buckets of."

"True, that is," Yoda sighed. He knew that Han would never be able to attain complete control, but he also knew that Han was the galaxy's last hope. Going against everything he had ever believed in, Yoda decided to try a new tactic. "Use your anger, you will. Give you power and focus, aggression will."

Han grinned, "Now you're talking."

With Han able to use his anger, and release it, he soon became very skilled with his lightsaber. Yoda knew that this road could lead Han to the Dark Side, but, ironically, also knew that Han's need for revenge would prevent him from going down that path. Han would defeat the Skywalkers, and, as his final show of vengeance, bring the Force away from darkness forever.

"Fighting who, were you?" Yoda asked, after Han had again defeated him in a practice duel, using sticks.

"Who do you think?" Han said, helping Yoda back onto his feet.

Without needing Yoda to answer, Han continued. "You know, I've been thinking. When we get outta here, how are we going to find Skywalker? I mean, if he's working with Vader now, he's gotta be pretty well protected. I don't care how powerful the Force is, it's not going to get us up close to the Emperor's pets."

"Find Skywalker first, we will not," Yoda said. "To Ticrest, we must go. A hidden Jedi temple, on the moon, there is. Find everything we need, we will."

"Ticrest?" Han asked, "Never heard of it."

"Hidden, it is," Yoda explained. "Deleted from the galactic archives, it has been. Know of it, only the high Jedi masters did."

"Go to an ancient temple on a hidden planet," Han said. "Sounds like a good time." With, Han launched into another attack, and he and Yoda continued the training.

2 years later, with Han's training almost complete, he and Yoda began focusing all of their attention on digging their tunnel. Yoda's health became an increasing concern. Han worried about Yoda's harsh breathing, and slow movements, but whenever he would comment, Yoda would reply, "Wait until 900 years old are you, and see how well you are!"

Finally, over 4 years after Han and Yoda first met, they reached a breakthrough.

"Roots!" Yoda exclaimed, pointing at the fibers emerging from their tunnel walls. "Closer to the surface than I thought, we are."

Han, for the first time in 14 years, laughed. "Yes!" He began crawling through the tunnel in the opposite direction. "I'm going to go get more-"

Han was cut off by a loud rumbling sound that could only mean one thing.

"YODA!" Han turned around, but he was too late. Yoda was already buried beneath a pile of dirt, the result of the cave-in.

Crawling as fast as he could, Han grabbed Yoda, cradled him against his chest, and carried him back to the cell. He laid Yoda on the stone floor, and tapped him lightly on the face, pleading that he regain consciousness.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Yoda's eyes opened. "Han…" he rasped.

"Don't try to talk," Han said, desperately trying to keep his voice level. "You're gonna be alright."

"No," Yoda whispered. "Ticrest…remember…Ticrest Moon…"

"I can't escape now," Han said. "The tunnel caved in."

"You will," Yoda smiled. "But more…tell…I do. Luke…Leia…"

"I know, I know," Han tried soothing Yoda. "I'll stop Luke, I'll help Leia."

"No…" Yoda said.

"It's okay," Han said, his voice shaking.

"The Force…" Yoda tried again.

"I know. I can use the Force," Han smiled. "You were a good teacher."

"For good…only."

Han shook his head. "You know that I'm gonna use it for revenge."

"After…" Yoda's eyes slipped shut, and his breathing slowed.

"Yoda!" Han slapped Yoda hard in the face. No response. He tried again, "YODA!"

Yoda's breathing finally stopped. For a few seconds, Han just stared at the still body of his only friend in 14 years. Before he could do anything, though, he heard the familiar scraping of Stormtrooper armor approaching the door.

The Stormtrooper with the food cart stopped in front of Yoda's cell door. When hand reached out for the proffered plate, the Stormtrooper banged on the door. When he again received no response, he yelled, through his helmet filter, "Come on!"

Finally, the Stormtrooper entered the code, and unlocked the door. He froze when he saw the little body on the floor.

"Kark," he muttered, as he turned back toward towards the main office, locking the door, out of habit, behind him.

He came back with another Stormtrooper, and a hover-casket. "Are you sure he's not sleeping?" the second Stormtrooper asked.

The first shook his head as he unlocked the door, "He never sleeps."

The second Stormtrooper bent down to examine the prone body. "He's pretty dirty, isn't he?"

"They're all dirty," the first replied. "Now help me load him up."

"Help you?" the second asked. "He looks like he weighs as much as your thumb. It seems like a waste of a hover-casket to me."

"Just throw him in," the first instructed. "We can ask Dorleac when we get him."

The two Stormtroopers lifted the lid off the casket, threw Yoda's body in, and went to get Dorleac, once again locking the door behind them.

That's when Han emerged from his tunnel.

He rushed over to the casket, pushed the lid off, and slowly picked Yoda up and out of it. "This is for you," Han sighed.

He quickly crawled through the tunnel that led back to his cell, put Yoda there, then returned to Yoda's cell. He threw himself into the casket, and slid the lid back in place, just as the second Stormtrooper, with Dorleac, returned.

"Alright, let's go," Dorleac said, indicating for the Stormtroopers to activate the remote on the hover-casket. "We might as well use the casket. It's easier than carrying the thing up all these stairs."

The Stormtrooper followed Dorleac out of the prison-fortress, and up to the edge of a nearby cliff.

Meanwhile, back in the prison, the first Stormtrooper was continuing to distribute meals. He couldn't believe it when he again got no reply, this time, at Han Solo's cell.

He unlocked the door, and for the second time that night, froze at what he found.

The second Stormtrooper was adjusting the settings on the remote of the hover-casket, so it would be susceptible to gravity as it moved over the edge of the cliff. Suddenly, he heard a hiss in his helmet comm-unit. "Admiral Dorleac," he said, "someone's trying to contact me."

"What does he want?" Dorleac asked impatiently.

"There's too much static," the Stormtrooper replied. "Can you get it on your comm.-unit?"

Dorleac turned his on, and switched to the appropriate channel. He too heard only static. "It must be these cliffs," Dorleac reasoned. "They're magnetic."

The Stormtrooper nodded, as he again began to move the casket towards the cliff's edge.

"Whatever it is can wait until we get back," Dorleac said. "Now throw it over, already!"

Three things then happened all at once.

The Stormtrooper moved the hover-casket over the cliff.

Han pushed the lid off the casket and grabbed Dorleac by the tail of his coat.

And both Han and Dorleac fell off the cliff, into the water below.

By the time the casket hit the water, Han had already managed to jump out of it. He, as Yoda instructed, let the Force flow through him, and slowed his descent, allowing himself, to gracefully slip into the water.

As Han began swimming away, Dorleac resurfaced. Stunned, the Admiral opened his mouth to call for help, but Han got to him first. Han covered Dorleac's mouth, and shoved him underwater. Dorleac tried to fight back, but was no match for Han. He had the Force on his side.

His anger over 14 years of beatings allowed Han to focus, and he kept Dorleac underwater until he stopped moving.

When he was satisfied, Han laughed loudly, and full he relief. He began swimming, out into the open sea. He swam for hours, until his malnourished body had enough, and he passed out.

* * *

Han woke up, cold tired and damp, but lying, for the first time in 14 years, on a soft surface. Confused, he opened his eyes, but quickly shut them. The brightness of the sun assaulted his senses after an eternity of living in a dark cell.

Suddenly, Han regained full consciousness, and remembered what had happened. He stood up, laughing, and began running across the beach on which he had washed up. He stopped, however, when he turned his head, and found a large group of menacing individuals from a multitude of races staring at him.

"Bring him here," a voice commanded.

Two Rodians rushed over to Han, grabbed his arms, and dragged him over to a short, robust man. He seemed to be their leader.

"So, my friend," the man said, smiling, "I would ask who you are, but in view of your shredded clothes, long beard, dirty hair and the fact that the Sannginivut prison is just over the horizon... what's the point?"

Han grimaced slightly, but did not comment.

The man continued without reply, "As for me, I am Luigi Vampa, a smuggler and a thief. My men and I have come to this planet to bury alive one of our number who attempted to keep some stolen gold for himself instead of sharing it with his comrades. Interestingly enough, there are some of his more loyal friends who are insisting that I grant him mercy. Which, of course, I cannot do, or I would quickly lose control of the whole crew. That is why you are such a fortunate find."

"How come?" Han asked, interested despite himself.

"You provide me with a way to show a little mercy to Chewbacca - that

furball you see tied up over there –"

Han's heart almost stopped in his chest at the name, but he managed to keep his face impassive.

Luigi noticed nothing, and continued "while at the same time not appearing weak. And as a bonus, the lads will get to see a little sport as well."

Dragging himself back into the conversation, Han asked, "How am I gonna do all that?"

"We watch you and Chewbacca fight to the death. If Chewbacca wins, we welcome him back to the crew. If you win, I have given Chewbacca the chance to live, even if he did not take advantage of it, and you can take his place on the ship."

"Well," Han pretended to weigh his options, "What if I win and I don't wanna be a smuggler?"

"Then we blast you, and we're a bit shorthanded," Luigi smiled dangerously.

Han paused, thinking, then grinned. "Well, then, smuggling is the life for me, and I'd be happy to kill your friend, the furball."

Luigi nodded, expecting this. He stood up, then turned back to Han, "Oh, and by the way, Jacopo is the best fighter I have ever seen."

Han winked, "Maybe you should get out more."

Luigi laughed, then turned to his crew, "Release Chewbacca, and let them games begin."

As soon as he was untied, Chewbacca rushed over to where Han was circled him, and got into the traditional fighter's stance.

Han distance himself from Chewie, and also got into the stance, but focused more of his attention of studying his friend. He couldn't understand why Chewbacca hadn't recognized him yet. It was definitely the same Wookie, Han verified. The same size and same eyes. But, the eyes were slightly different now. Not in colour or in shape, but there was a sort of lingering sadness behind them. He had no more time to think about what might have caused it, however, as Chewbacca attacked.

Han barely dodged the Wookie fist in time, and decided to fight first, and analyze friend later. He emptied his mind, and again felt the Force flow through him. Han was suddenly emboldened, and began moving around Chewbacca with new vigor. He focused on only dodging blows, as he didn't want to hurt his best friend.

Said best friend, however, had no problems with wanting to hurt Han. Chewbacca lunged forward, faster and more often, desperately trying to get a piece to Han, but falling short every time.

Han allowed the fight to last a lot longer than it should have, not wanting to embarrass Chewie in front of the crew. Finally, after another dodged blow, Han grabbed Chewie's right arm, and, with more strength than a human should have, pinned it behind Chewbacca's back, forcing him to the ground. He moved his knees up to pin Chewie, and placed his hands on the Wookie's neck.

He bent low, and whispered in Shyriiwook in Chewie's ear, "_If you move one hair, you're dead."_

All Chewbacca could do was nod.

Han turned his head towards Luigi. "Alright!" He shouted. "New deal, we let the Wookie live."

Luigi opened his mouth to say something, but Han cut him off.

"If you let Chewbacca live, I promise I'll join your crew. Then you've got everything covered. The guys who wanted to see some sport saw it, the guys who wanted mercy for the Wookie will get it, and you'll have an extra smuggler on your crew."

Luigi thought for a moment, then smiled, "I like your style. Welcome aboard!"

Han smiled graciously.

"You'll need a name though," Luigi said, "I assume you won't be using your old one."

"Not preferably," Han agreed.

"We shall call you…Zatarra!" Luigi announced.

"Sounds powerful," Han said.

"It means driftwood," Luigi laughed.

Han shook his head, and began to lift himself off Chewbacca. As soon as he released the Wookie's arms, however, he found himself enveloped in fur. It took him a few seconds to realize that Chewbacca was hugging him.

_"I swear on the souls of my dead fathers,"_ Chewbacca promised _"I will protect your life with mine, forever."_

Han smirked, and spoke again in Shyriiwook, _"I know, you've made this promise before."_

Startled, Chewbacca pushed Han away, held him at arms length, and stared at his face. Han winked.

Chewbacca howled, and tears began pooling in his eyes, and streaming down his cheeks. _"Cub! How did you…?"_

_"Shut up, shut up,"_ Han said, _"You're making a scene."_

Chewbacca glanced around, noticed some onlookers, and quickly pulled himself together. _"But how…?"_ he asked again.

_"It's a long story, I'll explain later."_


End file.
